Carton forming unit



F. E. LONG CARTON FORMING UNIT Dec. 30,1958

4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 21, 1957 ATTORNEYS Filed March 21, 1957 5, LONG 2,866,584

CARTUXT FQRMING UNIT 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 J k 6 39 7 INVENTOR H0776 Z L 073 ATTORNEYS Dec. 30, 1958 F. E. LONG 2,856,584

CARTON FORMING UNIT Filed March 21, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 15a 14 VENT R 23 4 3 2? 9 7 wrrenlflon 2 wi lMAM Dec. 30, 1958 F. E. LONG 2,866,584

CARTON FORMING um'r Filed March 21, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Warren 2 0? ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,866,584 CARTON FORMING UNIT Flori-en E. Long, Fredericktown, Ohio, assignor to Continental 'Can Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 21, 1957, Serial No. 647,696 6 Claims. (Cl. 229-14) This invention relates generally to cartons used primarily to contain liquids. Specifically, it relates to a normally flat prefabricated unit from which to readily form an effectively lined carton. A plurality of these flat units may be compactly stacked in storage and converted into cartons as required. Dairies and other establishments using such cartons may thus be relieved of the necessity of keeping complete bulky cartons in stock, and required storage space may therefore be reduced to the minimum.

The above mentioned unit includes a flat collapsed sleeve of carton stock, the side walls of said sleeve having side panels to form the carton sides, and bottom flaps from which to form the carton bottom when said sleeve is expanded. A flat collapsed liner bag extends through the flat collapsed sleeve and is secured to the side panels, the expansion of said sleeve therefore serving to expand the bag. The flat closed end of the flat collapsed bag is confined between the bottom flaps of the flat collapsed sleeve: and when said sleeve is expanded into carton form, said flat closed end of the bag must be shaped into a bag bottom in such manner that it will not interfere with inward folding of the bottom flaps to form the carton bottom.

One object of the invention has been to provide a novel construction in which the above mentioned-bag bottom shaping would be performed automatically upon expansion of the flat collapsed sleeve into carton form, thus obviating hand operations for this purpose.

Another object has been to connect one longitudinal edge of the flat closed end of the bag with the outer longitudinal edge of one of the contiguous bottom flaps and to thereby cause such relative movements of said flap and bag end as to inwardly fold the latter as the flat collapsed sleeve is expanded to carton form.

A further object has been to close the flat bag end by securing the bag walls together in two elongated zones which diverge from the mid width of the bag extremity to the zones in which the longitudinal edges of the flat bag meet the bottom flap fold lines, thereby causing the above mentioned inward folding of the flat bag end to occur along one of said diverging zones.

The flat collapsed sleeve is formed by folding a sheet of carton stock substantially upon itself and seaming together the edges remote from the fold line; and the fiat collapsed bag is formed by similarly folding and seaming a sheet of liner material: and another object has been to provide a construction in which a portion of the bag seam would be utilized to secured the closed lower end of the flat bag to the aforesaid bottom flap.

A further object has been to provide a single seam which would seam the sleeve edges together, seam the bag edges together, and secure the flat bag end to the aforesaid bottom flap.

A still further object has been to provide a novel construction facilitating manufacture at minimum cost.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the .nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing illustrative manufacturing procedure in producing blanks from which to form the flat carton forming units.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing one of the blanks from which to form one of the units, the liner material being separated from the bottom flap for better disclosure.

Figures 3 and 4 are detail sectional views on lines 3-3 and 44 of Figure 2, respectively.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view on line 5--5 of Figure 2 but a section on any of the lines S -5, 5 5 or 55 would appear the same.

Figures 6 and 7 are detail sectional views on lines 6-6 and 7-7 of Figure 2, respectively.

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the blank of Figure 2 folded substantially upon itself in readiness for sealing of restricted portions of the bag material together.

Figure 9 is a similar view showing a sealing iron in readiness to perform the sealing operations.

Figure 10 is a perspective view, partly broken away, showing the result of the sealing operations and also showing an adhesive which is applied after performance of said operations.

Figures 11 and 12 are detail sectional views on lines 1111 and 12-12 of Figure 10, respectively.

Figure 13 is a perspective view of the completed flat unit, partly expanded for clearer disclosure.

Figures 14 and 15 are detail sectional views on lines 14-14 and 1515 of Figure 13.

Figure 16 is an inverted perspective view showing the manner in which the bag bottom is shaped as the flat sleeve structure of Figure 13 is expanded into carton form, three of the bottom flaps being swung to abnormal positions to avoid obscuring other elements.

Figure 17 is a perspective view of the completed carton in readiness for filling.

Figure 18 is an enlarged sectional view through the seam, on line 18--18 of Figure 17.

Figure 19 is a view similar to Figure 17 but showing a form of construction having upper end closure flaps.

The procedure and construction disclosed in the drawings will be rather specifically described but attention is invited to the possibility of making variations.v

A web of carton stock C (Figure l) is unwound from a supply roll R, and succeeding areas A of said web are scored to provide each of said areas with parallel fold lines 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 extending transversely of the web C, and with aligned fold lines 6 extending longitudinally of said web near one edge thereof. Each area A is also formed with slits 7 extending from the fold lines 6 to said edge of the web. By this scoring and slitting, each area is provided with four elongated side panels S S, S and S with four bottom flaps B B B and B and with two relatively long and narrow seam flanges F and F Both of these seam flanges extend throughout the width of the web C and the flange F is joined along the fold line 1 to both the side panel S and the connected bottom flap B The flange F is joined along the fold line 5 to the side panel S and is separated from the contiguous bottom flap B by one of the slits 7.

After scoring and slitting each web area A, adhesive 8 is applied to the side panels S S S and S and to the seam flanges F and F but not to the bottom flaps B B B and B Then, a Web of liner material L is unwound from a supply roll R and pressed upon the adhesive 8 to secure said web'L to all portions of each area A except the bottom flaps B B B and B The liner web L is considerably wider than the carton stock web C and projects at 9 beyond the carton web edge remote from the bottom flaps B B B and B 4 The liner web L is preferably formed from paper coated;

3 'with'polyethylene orthe like but it could well be formed entirely from such -a plastic.

After securing the two webs C and L together, they are transversely cut to successively form two-ply blanks one of whichis shown in Figure 2. The lines of out are indicated by the broken lines 11 in Figure l and one of the completed cuts is shown at 11a.

Fromthe two-ply blank 10, a flat collapsed sleeve and a flat collapsed liner bagin said sleeve, are formed. The first step in so doing, is shown in Figure 8. In this view the :blank has been folded upon itself along the fold line 3 to form (1) an upper flat sleeve wall 12 composed of the side panels S and S the bottom flaps B and-B and the seam flange F (2) a lower flat sleeve wall 13 formed by the-side panels S lands and the seam flange F (3) an upperliner bag wall 14; and (4) a lower liner bag wall 15. In thisfolded structure, the upper bag wall 14 is secured by the adhesive 8 to all portions of the uppersleeve wall 12 except the bottom flaps B and B andthe lower bag wall 15 is also secured by said adhesive to all portions of the lower sleeve wall 15 except the bottom flaps B and B Restrictedportions of the folded structure of Figure 8 are subjected to heat and pressure to seal the previously free longitudinal edges of the bag walls 14 and 15 together and to also seal together the portions of said bag walls which are later to form the bag bottom. Illustratively, a single heat-sealing iron 16 is shown in Figure 9 for these purposes, said iron being adapted for depression onto the folded structure while the latter rests on a suitable support.

The results of operating the iron 16 are shown in Figures 10, ll and 12. These views also illustrate an adhesive .17 applied to the seam flange F but not as a result of operating the iron 16, said adhesive being applied after iron operation. From these views, it will be seen that the longitudinal edges 14a and 15a of the bag side walls 14 and 15 are heat-sealed together at 18 between the seam flanges F and F. It will also be seen that the portions of the bag walls 14 and.15 between the uppermost flaps B and B and the lower most flaps B and B are heat-sealed together in two elongated zones 19. These zones 19 diverge from the mid Width of the bag extremity to the regions 20 (Figure 10) at which the longitudinal edges of the bag meet the flap fold lines 6. The seal 18, of course, meets the seal 19 in one of these regions. The bag wall corner portions adjacent the folded edge 21 of the bag are also heat-sealed together at 22.

After the heat-sealing operations are performed and the adhesive 17 is applied, the seam flanges F and F and the sealed-together bag wall edges 14a and 15a between said flanges are jointly folded inwardly and downwardly as shown in Figures 13, 14 and 15, thereby providing a seam .23 in which the seam flange F is secured to the side panel .5 and bottom flap B by the adhesive 17; the bag wall edge 14ais secured upon said flange F by some of the adhesive 8; the bag wall edge 15a is sealed upon said edge 14a at 18, and the seam flange F is secured upon said edge 15a by some of the adhesive -8. This seam 23 connects one longitudinal edge of the completed bag 24 with the outer longitudinal edge of the bottom flap B but the major portion of this flap B and all of the other bottom flaps B B and B remain .free of connection with the portion of the bag between the uppermost (B and B and the lowermost (B and B of said bottom flaps.

It will be seen from the above that a flat unit (Figure .13) has been provided which embodies a flat collapsed sleeve .25 of carton stock (shown somewhat expanded) and the flat collapsed liner bar 24 associated in a novel "manner with said flat collapsed .sleeve 25. In this 'unit, the. seamed end of the bag 24 is located between the uppermost bottom flaps B and B and the lowermost .IapsuB? ndB: andiexcept 'Wh'ere'the bag is attached .4 to the outer longitudinal edge of the one bottom flap B saidbag is free from connection with said bottom flaps. A plurality of the flat units may be stacked and thus compactly stored: and as cartons are required, some of the units may be removed from storage and expanded into carton form (Figure 17) for use.

As any unit is expanded, actions illustrated in Figure l6 occur, attention, however, being directed to the facts that the unit is shown inverted in this view and the .bottom flaps B B and B are shown in abnormal positions to prevent them from obscuring other elements. The seamed corner 26 and the diagonally opposite corner 27 move inwardly toward each other as indicated by the arrows 26a and 27a: and the other two corners 28 and '29 move outwardly away from each other as indicated by the arrows 28a and 29a. The bottom flap B to one edge of which the bag 24 is attached by the seam 23, swings inwardly and the lower end portions of the bag walls 14 and 15 buckle inwardly on a line 30 along one of the seam zones 19. At the same time, the bag wall 15 folds at 31 on a line from the corner 28 to the juncture of the two seam zones 19: and the bag wall 14 similarly folds on the line 310. At the same time, the cornerportion of the bag having the seal 22 moves under the fold 31 as indicated by the arrow 32. While these actions are occurring, the bottom flap B swings downwardly as indicated by the arrow 33, the portion of the bag above the fold line 30 swings downwardly as indicated by arrow 34, and the folds 31 and 31a swing downwardly as indicated by arrow 55. Thus, by the time the bottom flap B reaches its fully lowered position, the bag 24 has been expanded and its lower end shaped in readiness for closing of the other bottom flaps B B and B Thevarious flaps are suitably secured together by adhesive and the carton is then in readiness for filling as shown in Figure 17. After filling, the projecting upper end of the bag 24 is closed by folding and suitably sealed.

If desired, the upper end of the carton may have top closure flaps 36 as seen in Figure 19.

In the complete carton, the seam 23 appears as shown in Figure 18 and its multiple ply construction insures unusual strength. In this seam, the seam flange F is secured against the side panel S by the adhesive 17; the turned bag wall edge 14a is secured by some of the adhesive 8 against said seam flange F the turned bag wall edge 15a is sealed at 18 against said turned edge 14a; and the seam flange F is secured against said turned edge 15a by some of the adhesive 8.

It will be seen from the foregoing, that a novel and advantageous structure has been disclosed for attaining the desired ends. Attention is again invited however to the possibility of making variations within the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A carton having one side wall provided at one edge with an integral seam flange, said seam flange being folded outwardly at one corner of the carton and being secured to the outer side of said one side wall, a carton liner having one wall disposed against the inner side of said one carton side wall, said liner wall having an edge portion turned outwardly and secured against the outer side of said seam flange, a second carton wall at an angle to said one carton wall, and a second liner wall against the inner side of said second carton wall, said second liner wall having an edge turned laterally and secured against the outer side of said outwardly folded edge of said one liner wall, said second carton wall. having a laterally turned seam flange secured against the outer side of said laterally turned edge of said second liner wall, said carton walls comprising contiguous panels including transversely folded bottom flaps, one of said flaps including a portion of said seam flange, said liner including'end portions secured together in elongated diverging zones extending from the mid width of said carton wall extremities to the regions at the outermost extremities of the bottom flap fold lines relative to said panels.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1, in which said liner is of bag form and extends above said carton side walls and said seam flanges, the secured-together edges of said liner walls extending above said seam flanges to the mouth of the bag.

3. A carton forming unit comprising a flat collapsed sleeve having two opposed side walls connected along two longitudinal fold lines, one of said sleeve side walls being divided by a longitudinal fold line into a first side panel and a second side panel, the other of said sleeve side walls being divided by a longitudinal fold line into a third side panel and a fourth side panel, said four side panels being adapted to form the four side walls of a carton when said flat collapsed sleeve is expanded, said sleeve side walls having four bottom flaps integrally connected on transverse fold lines with said four side panels respectively, a flat collapsed liner bag extending through said flat collapsed sleeve and having two opposed side walls secured to said four side panels, the closed lower end portion of said flat collapsed bag being disposed between the bottom flaps of said first and second side panels and the bottom flaps of said third and fourth side panels, one longitudinal edge of said lower endv portion of said bag being secured to the outer longitudinal edge of one of the contiguous bottom flaps, the bag side walls being otherwise free of connection with said bottom flaps, the lower end portions of the bag side walls being sealed together in two elongated zones which diverge from the mid width of the bag extremity to the regions at which the longitudinal edges of the bag meet the bottom flap fold lines.

4. A carton forming unit comprising a flat collapsed sleeve having two opposed side walls connected along two longitudinal fold lines, one of said sleeve side walls being divided by a longitudinal fold line into a first side panel and a second side panel, the other of said sleeve side walls being divided by a longitudinal fold line into a third side panel and a fourth side panel, said four side panels being adapted to form the four side walls of a carton when said flat collapsed sleeve is expanded, said sleeve side walls having four bottom flaps integrally connected on transverse fold lines with said four side panels respectively, a fiat collapsed liner bag extending through said flat collapsed sleeve and having two opposed side walls secured to said four side panels, the closed lower end portion of said flat collapsed bag being disposed between the bottom flaps of said first and second side panels and the bottom flaps of said third and fourth side panels, one longitudinal edge of said lower end portion of said bag being secured to the outer longitudinal edge of one of the contiguous bottom flaps, the bag side walls being otherwise free of connection with said bottom flaps, said bag side walls having a connecting seam at one longitudinal edge of the bag, said seam being secured to said outer longitudinal edge of said one of said bottom flaps to thereby secure the bag to this flap edge, the lower end portions of the bag side walls being sealed together in two elongated zones which diverge from the mid width of the bag extremity to the regions at which the longitudinal edges of the bag meet the bottom flap fold line.

5. A carton forming unit comprising a flat collapsed sleeve having two opposed side walls connected along two longitudinal fold lines, one of said sleeve side walls being divided by a longitudinal fold line into a first side panel and a second side panel, the other of said sleeve side walls being divided by a longitudinal fold line into a third side panel and a fourth side panel, said four side panels being adapted to form the four side walls of a carton when said flat collapsed sleeve is expanded, said sleeve side walls having four bottom flaps integrally connected on transverse fold lines with said four side panels respectively, a flat collapsed liner bag extending through said flat collapsed sleeve and having two opposed side walls secured to said four side panels, the closed lower end portion of said flat collapsed bag being disposed between the bottom flaps of said first and second side panels and the bottom flaps of said third and fourth side panels, one longitudinal edge of said lower end portion of said bag being secured to the outer longitudinal edge of one of the contiguous bottom flaps, the bag side walls being otherwise free of connection with said bottom flaps, said flat collapsed sleeve and said flat collapsed bag being formed respectively from two sheets of material folded on one of said two longitudinal fold lines and jointly seamed together along the other of these two fold lines, a portion of the seam thus formed being extended along said outer longitudinal edge of said one of said bottom flaps to thereby secure the bag to this flap edge, the lower end portions of the bag side walls being sealed together in two elongated zones which diverge from the mid width of the bag extremity to the regions at which the longitudinal edges of the bag meet the bottom flap fold lines.

6. In a carton forming unit, a flat sleeve side wall comprising (1) a first side panel, (2) a second side panel connected along a longitudinal fold line with said first side panel, (3) a first bottomflap connected along a transverse fold line with said first side panel, (4) a second bottom flap connected along a fold line with said second side panel, and (5) a relatively long and narrow seam flange connected along a fold line with the outer longitudinal edge of said first side panel and the corresponding edge of said first bottom flap, said seam flange being folded inwardly and secured to the outer side of said first side panel and the outer side of said first bottom flap; one bag side wall being secured against the inner sides of said first and second side panels, said one bag wall extending substantially to the outer ends of said first and second bottom flaps and being free of connection with the latter, one longitudinal edge of said one bag wall being folded inwardly and secured to the outer side of the aforesaid inwardly folded seam flange and being thus connected to the outer longitudinal edge of said first bottom flap; a second bag side wall coextensive with said one bag side wall, one longitudinal edge of said second bag wall being folded inwardly and secured to said inwardly folded edge of said one bag wall, the other longitudinal edges of said bag walls being integrally joined; and a second flat sleeve side wall at the outer side of said second bag wall, said second sleeve side wall comprising (1) a third side panel opposed to said second side panel, (2) a fourth side panel opposed to said first side panel and joined along a fold line to said third side panel, (3) a third bottom flap joined on a transverse fold line to said third side panel, (4) a fourth bottom flap joined on a transverse fold line to said fourth side panel, and (5) a second relatively long and narrow seam flange integrally joined on a longitudinal fold line to the outer longitudinal edge of said fourth side panel, said second seam flange being folded inwardly and secured to said inwardly folded edge of said second bag wall, said third and fourth bottom flaps being free of connection with said second bag wall, the longitudinal edges of said sleeve side walls remote from said seam flanges being integrally joined along a fold line, the end portions of said bag walls between said bottom flaps being secured together, said end portions of said bag walls being secured together in two elongated zones which diverge from the mid width of the wall extremities to the regions at the outermost extremities of the bottom flap fold lines.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,364,576 Waters Dec. 5,1944 2,382,573 Moore Aug. 14, 1945 2,407,802 Stotter Sept. 17, 1946 2,423,804 Waters July 8, 1947 2,801,782 Ingham L Aug. 6, 1957 

